The Act of April 22 1864 authorized the minting of bronze U.S. Two Cent Coins. Many people are unaware that the United States ever had a two cent piece. They were minted between 1864 and 1872 for general circulation. A relatively short run of mintage and therefore fairly easy to collect and complete a set. These U.S. Two Cent Coins can range from as little as $20 in poor grade up to Hundreds of dollars for finer conditions and rarer dates.

Many folks are unaware that prior to 1965, our Dimes, Quarters, and Half Dollars were U.S. 90% Silver Coins. And the fact that these coins have 90% Silver (10% Copper) composition, makes them have a value much higher than their face value!!

Collecting Lincoln Wheat Cents is one of the most popular series of United States coins to collect. Millions of coin collectors over the past century have sought to put together collections of these iconic coins. Many of the dates in this series are quite common and rather easily found in better conditions, yet it is the KEY DATES in this series that makes Collecting Lincoln Wheat Cents so challenging and fun!!

Many folks don’t know this, but during World War II, for one year only, the United States minted the 1943 Steel Penny. The 1943 silver colored penny is a wartime issue made of steel, and coated with zinc. During World War II, copper was so badly needed for the war effort (to make shell casings) that the U.S. penny was made out of steel that year, which is why most 1943 pennies are silver colored.

In order to determine a coin’s specific value, we must first determine where it lands on the Rare Coin Grading System. The primary purpose of grading a coin is to determine what the coin’s market value is based on how well the coin was originally struck, how well the coin metal itself has been preserved, and how much wear and damage the coin has suffered since it was minted. For most practical purposes, especially for beginners, we’re going to be concerned with how to tell how much wear the coin has had, and where it fits on the 70-point scale.

La Jolla & San Diego Coin News! As in our prior post, we want to thank you all for your continued business over the years!! We value your support and hope that we have been of good service to you! La Jolla Coin Shop and San Diego Coin & Bullion are excited about 2015 and look forward to seeing you soon!

Happy Holidays and Thank You to all of our wonderful clients and your families from La Jolla Coin Shop and San Diego Coin & Bullion!! We hope your holidays are joy filled and wish you all the very best in the coming year!! We also would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your patronage and support this past year!